Electrically operated signal system



Dec. 10, 1940. A. v. McFERRON 2,224,548

ELECTRICALLY OPERATED SIGNAL SYSTEM Filed Aug. 1, 1938 INVENTOR ALFRED v. MC FERRON ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Alfred V. McFerron, Rocky River, Ohio Application August 1, 1938, Serial No. 222,360

Claims.

duce the number of false alarms such as are often turned in because of the activities of workmen, charwomen, etc., working in the bank at other than banking hours. It will be understood that 19 in the ordinary or usual bank protective system, buttons are placed in various positions about. the bank accessible to tellers, officers and other employees in case of a hold-up. People working about the bank during the hours when cleaning 35 and repairing is done often come in contact with such buttons, pushing them accidentally in an attempt to locate lights or during cleaning operations, or objects may be left lying upon buttons on desk tops and the like. Also during periods as at the beginning of banking hours when the tellers are arranging things in their cages buttons in the cages may be accidentally engaged.

One of the objects of the present invention therefore is to cut out the circuit involving such 25 buttons during other than banking hours. This in no way decreases the protective advantages of a system because at such hours all of the bank funds are locked up in the vault and not subject to hold-up liabilities.

80 Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic check-up of a bank protective system each day at or near the beginning of banking hours so that there is positive assurance that the system is in proper operative condition 35 in case it should be needed during that particular day. Most bank hold-ups occur between the hours of :00 a. m. and closing time in the afternoon. Therefore if a system is properly checked before 9:00 or 10:00 a. m. each morning the bank 40 is assured that the system is in proper working condition.

Another object of the present invention there- 1 in different positions; Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged views of the clock-operated switches; while Fig. 6 is a somewhat diagrammatic view indicating a manner of operating the switches by clock mech- 55 anism.

I have shown my invention as used in connectionwith a signal circuit involving lines L1 and L: which may represent the lines of an ordinary police circuit although it will be understood that my invention is useful for connection into any 5 circuit where it is desired to throw a signal upon the actuation of a button in any emergency, such as in the case of a bank hold-up as outlined previously. In the circuit including lines L1 and L2 I have shown the type of circuit which is nor- 1o mally open, and in which a signal occurs when the circuit is closed as by means of the switch I0 which is closable by means of a solenoid or relay it when the latter is de-energized. Upon the actuation of the armature, contacts are closed at 82 so as to give a signal in the outside circuit L1, L2. It will be readily understood by those skilled in this art that by merely reversing the contacts at the point la the system will operate equally well in a normally closed circuit in which case the circuit will be opened by energization of the relay .The relay H might also represent the actuating member of an emergency alarm outside of the bank.

The automatic control switches are indicated generally at is and ii in the various views. A more detailed view of switch 13 is shown in Fig. 4 and of switch 14 in Fig. 5. These switches are mounted adjacent a suitable clock mechanism generally indicated at l5. Any suitable clock mechanism may be used, many of which are well known, and preferably I use an electrically operated clock capable of running at least ten hours upon failure of its electrical circuit. A member i6 is indicated which is rotatable by the clock mechanism once every twenty-four hours. This member carries a contact closer I! which may be adjustably arranged on the member is so that it may be set to operate at any chosen hour. An oscillatable clock-operated member is indicated at l8 which is arranged to be oscillated to the right or to the left at certain hours of the day. Thismember carries a contact closer l9 and the members i8, it also may be adjustable as to time if desired. The position of the clock-operated members it and it with their contact closers I1 and [9, respectively, at various times during the day is shown in Figs. 1 to 3. For instance in Fig.

1 a setting is indicated which might be used from 0 bank opening time at 9:00 a. m. to bank closing time at 4:00 p. m. In Fig. 2 a setting is indicated for 4:00 p. m. to 8:00 a. m., and in Fig. 3 a setting from 8:00 a. m. to 9:00 a. m. It will be understoodthat any suitable time periods may be utisetting of these periods.

Suitable clock mechanism is shown in Fig. 3 where shaft 32, which makes one revolution in twenty-four hours, carries with it the member l3 and the cam or contact closer I! which is adapted to actuate the switch l4 from 8:00 a. m. to 9:00 a. m. Shaft 32 also rotates cam 33 whose raised periphery holds member i3 toward the right, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and in full lines in Fig. 8, from 4:00 p. m. to 9:00 a. m. and permits member l8 to move toward the left, as shown in Fig. 1 and in broken lines in Fig. 6, from 9:00 a. m. to 4:00 p. m.

Referring to Fig. 4, switch l3 comprises contacts l3a and I3b on each side of an intermediate contact I39 which has an extending arm adapted to be engaged by the contact closer l3. It will be noted that these three contacts are carried on resilient arms so arranged that as contact H0 is carried from the position of Fig. 1 to the position of Fig. 2, the contact i3a follows and remains in contact with l3c until the latter has engaged l3b after which the contact at l3a is broken. In a similar manner in going from the position of Fig. 2 or 3 to that of Fig. 1, [3b remains in contact with He until the latter has made contact with i 3a. The reason for this arrangement is that any breaking of the circuit would result in the deenergization of solenoid H with a resulting signal in the outside circuit L1, In.

Referring to Fig. 5, switch I41 comprises three resilient bars adapted to make successive contact first at Ma and second at l4b as the resilient bar Me is moved from the right to left by the contact closer ii.

For the energization of relay II any suitable source of electrical power may be utilized and I have shown a circuit in which a battery 20 is provided which may be connected in a trickle charger circuit such as is common but it will be understood that any other dependable source of electrical power would be suitable. One circuit from the positive side of the battery is through line 2|, adjustable resistance 22, line 23 including fuse 24, test jack or ammeter 23, line 23, solenoid ll, lines 21 and 28, contacts I30 and 13a with the parts in the position of Fig. 1), line 33. line 30, line 3|, relay or solenoid 32 and lines 33 'and 34 back to the negative side of the battery.

In this last named circuit are a plurality of buttons 33 represented diagrammatically which have normally closed contacts opened by pressure on the button. Thus whenever one of the buttons is operated the circuit is opened. deenergizing relay l I and releasing the switch armature l0 thus closing the outside circuit L1, L2 to send a signal. The adjustable resistance 22 in the last named circuit is set for a flow of 100 milliamperes from the battery. The relay 32 is of a type which reouires 100 milliamperes to pull (and more than 80 milliamperes to hold) its coacting switch armature 36 to operated position. This operated position is shown in Fig. 1 and connects throu h contact 31 an outside line 1a through line 33 with clear lamp 39 and then by line 40 to L4. The source of current L3. L4 is any suitable outside source for energiz ng the lamp 33. For instance it may be the usual 110 volt supply. Preferably the lamp 39 is green which indicates that the circuit above described is in suitable operating condition.

At the close of banking hours, say 4:00 p. m. the

contact closer i3 moves under influence 01 the clock mechanism as indicated in m. z to open the contact at l3a' and to close the contact at l3b. Thisestablishes a circuit from the battery 23 to contact i3c as previously described, then through contact l3b, lines 4! and 42, adjustable resistance 43 and lines 44 and 34 back to the battery. The adjustable resistance 43 is set for a flow of 80 milliamperes for a purpose which will presently appear. With the estab-' lishment of this last named circuit the buttons 33 are rendered inoperative, that is to say, they are on a dead portion of the circuit so that after banking hours are over and the money is safely in the vault, workers accidentally touching the buttons 33 will not send in false alarms. At this time the circuit through relay 32 is broken and the switch armature 33 is returned by its biasing spring to establish contact at 43 so as to send current through line 43, warning lamp 41 and line 43 to energize lamp 41 and deenergize lamp 33. Lamp 41 is preferably a red lamp and will indicate that the protective circuit including the buttons 33 is now inoperative.

At some suitable hour in the morning, such as 8:00 a. m., the contact closer i1 is moved by the clock mechanism to the position shown in Fig. 3 while the contact closer l3 remains in the sameposition as it occupied in Fig. 2. As the contact closer I! moves from the position of Fig. 2 toward the position of Fig. 3 its first eilect is to move the arm l4c into engagement with the contact i4a while the contact i4b remains open. A circuit is thus established from the battery 20 through line 43, test jack or ammeter 48, line 30, adjustable resistance 3!, line 32, arm No, contact I 4a, lines 33, 30 and 3|, relay 3! and lines 33 and 34 back to the battery. The adjustable resistance 3| is set for a flow of 80 milliamperes so that insuflicient current is supplied to relay 3! to pull the same into operative position. Therefore red lamp 41 remains energized. As contact closer I! continues to rotate in a clockwise direction it closes within perhaps a five minute period the contact at I4b. This establishes a circuit from the battery to contact arm l4c as just described above, then through contacts Ma and Nb, line 34, relay 33, lines 33 and 3|, relay 3: and lines 33 and 34 back to the battery. This connection 34, 33, 33 is a shunt across the connection 33, 33 and in the claims is called a shunt circuit." The purpose of the double contacts [4a and I4!) is to first establish the flow through the circuit 33, 33 which (if that circuit is in perfect condition) will utilize so much of the current flow that upon establishement of the shunt circuit through 34, 33, 33 there is insuflicient current to trip the relay armature 31 by means of the relay 33 because this last named relay requires at least milliamperes to trip. The relationship between current how in line 33, in the shunt circuit 34, 33, 33, and in the flow necessary to trip 31 is always so arranged that the described results. must follow. However if there is an "open condition in the circuit 30, the full flow of approximately 80 milliamperes will pass through relay 33 tripping the armature 31. The relay 33, 31 is of the type in which the armature remains latched as by latch 31a in actuated position until manually released. The armature 31 acting through lever 33 closes contacts at 33 establishing a circuit from battery 23 through line 3|, resistance 22, lines 23 and 23, relay ll, lines 21 and 30, contact 33, lever 33, flexible lead 3|, line 42, resistance 43. lines 44 and 34 back to the battery.

In the-claims I -have' called this aby-pass circui a The circuits just described are the test circuits and they may remain on as long as desired. Atthe end of the test period, which may be at 9:00 a. m. or the beginning of the banking hours, the clock mechanism moves the member l8 and the contact closer l9 again toward the left returning the switch l3 to the position of Fig. 1, At the same time the contact closer I! passesybeyond the end of arm I 40 permitting the switch Hi to return to the position of Fig. 1. At this point the test of the button circuit is recorded at the warning signal. If there is an open condition in the button circuit then the contacts at 59 will have been closed, and there is insufiicient current flowing through relay 32 to pull the armature 36 to operative position but instead the contact at 45 remains closed and the red lamp 4! remains lighted. If the lamps 41 and 39 are visible to the person having oversight of the system, the

red signal indicates at this time that there is something wrong with the system involving the buttons 35 and that repairs are necessary to again put it in operating condition. When repairs have been completed on the button circuit so that it is again operative it is necessary to manually reset the relay 55, 51 so as to return the relay armature 51 to its inoperative position and open the contacts at 59. Preferably the relay 55, 51 will be in a closed box accessible only to the repair man which will insure that the manipulation of the contact closers l1 and I9 and the relay armature 51 during the repair period is such that the circuit is not broken through relay II and no false alarm is sent through the outside circuit L1, L2.

When the system is again established in proper condition with the contact closers in the position of Fig. 1 there will again be a flow of 100 milliamperes through relay 32 closing the contact at 31 and lighting the green lamp 39.

I have thus provided a protective system wherein the possibility of sending in false alarms is reduced to a minimum by means of cutting out the circuit including the various control buttons in the tellers cages and the like during those hours of the day and night when they are not necessary for the protection of bank funds. At the same time I have provided a means for automatically checking the operative condition of the bank protective circuit regularly and preferably at the beginning of the banking hours of each day.

If there are signal sending contacts in places requiring twenty-four hour service, as for instance in the bank vault, such contacts, buttons or the like will be placed in that portion of the circuit controlling relay l I which is always in operation. For instance, they might be either in lines 23, 28 or 21, as represented by the switch shown at 23c.

I do not desire to be limited in the application of my invention solely to bank protective systems as other uses are possible. For instance the buttons 35 might be part of a community alarm system either for mutual protection in case of holdups anywhere in a small community during the day or for a general alarm in case of a fire in smaller communities where no alarm is considered necessary during the daytime when the buildings are occupied but alarms are used at night to call together a volunteer fire department, in which case the circuits I have disclosed might be used to reduce the-number oflalsealarms during such hours as the system, including the buttons 85, was not intended to be in operation and also for the purpose of checking the system each day to insure that the circuits were in operative condition.

What I claim is:

1. In an electrical protective system having a circuit controlling electrical device operable when said device is de-energized, means for controlling said device including an electrical circuit, there being a normally closed signal switch in said circuit, means limiting the operating current in said circuit to a predetermined amount,.indicating means having a warning position, said indicating means being biased toward "warning" position, an electric relay in said switch containing portion of said circuit and adapted when energized by at least said operating current to move said indicating means out of warning position, clock-operated means for connecting said switch containing pOrtion of said circuit in the circuit at a predetermined time, and means including clock-operated means acting priorto said predetermined time for causing the establishment of a by-pass circuit in parallel with said switch containing portion of said flrst-namedcircuit conditioned upon an electrical break in said portion of said first-named circuit, whereby when such a break occurs less than operating current will flow through said relay and the indicating means will remain in warning" position.

2. A protective system as in claim 1 wherein said second named clock-operated means comprises two switches acting successively, the firstacting of said switches having electrical connections for sending a testing current of predetermined amount through said switch containing portion of said first named circuit, means limiting said testing current to an amount less than said operating current, a normally open switch in said by-pass circuit, a relay for closing said last named switch, the second-acting of said switches having electrical connections for establishing a shunt circuit in parallel with said switch containing portion of said first named circuit, said shunt circuit including the energizing coil of said last named relay, and the current required to operate said last named relay being greater than said predetermined testing current less the current flowing through said switch containing circuit portion when the latter is closed.

3. In a protective system having an emergency circuit controlling device, means for controlling said device including an electrical circuit, said circuit having a portion inluding a plurality of normally closed signal switches, means for supplying currents of greater and lesser intensities respectively, signal means in said circuit portion having a warning position and requiring more than said current of lesser intensity to cause it to move out of warning position, control means for sending said current of lesser intensity through said portion of said circuit, a normally open by-pass circuit in parallel with said portion of said circuit, a relay for closing said by-pass circuit. said relay requiring a major portion of said current of lesser intensity for its operation, a normally open shunt circuit across said portion of said first named circuit and adapted to energize said relay, said control means being arranged for closing said shunt circuit after operation of said second named means, and said control means being adapted to disconnect said current of lesser intensity and to send said current of greater intensity through said portion of said first named circuit.

4. In a protective system having an emergency circuit controlling device, means for controlling said device including an electrical circuit, said circuit including a plurality of normally closed signal switches, means for supplyi s currents of greater and lesser intensities respectively, means tor sending said current of greater intensity through said switch containing portion oi said circuit. clock-operated means for sending said current of lesser intensity through said switch containing portion 01' said circuit, signal means having a warning position, means normally tending to move said signal means to "warning"- position, a relay in said portion of said circuit adapted only when energized by more than said current of lesser intensity to move said signal means out of "warning" position, a normally open by-passcircuit in parallel with said switchcontaining portion or said first named circuit, a relay for closing said by-pass circuit, a, normally open shunt circuit across said switch containing portion of said circuit and adapted to energize said second named relay, said clock-operated means including a switch for closing said shunt circuit, and said second named relay requiring for its operation an electrical break in said portion oi said first named circuit.

5. In a bank protective system having an emeramuse gency circuit controlling device, means for controlling said device including an electrical circuit, means for supplying currents of greater and lesser intensities respectively, said circuit having a continuously operative portion in communication with said current of greater intensity and including a normally closed signal switch, said circuit also having a second portion effectively op,- erative only during banking hours and having a normally closed signal switch in it, clock-operated switch means for placing said second portion oi\ said circuit in and out oi' electrical communication with said first named portion during predetermined hours, clock-operated means for sending said current 01! lesser intensity through said second portion oi said circuit during the time when said second portion 01' said circuit is out of communication with said first portion, signal means having a "warning" position, means normally tending to move said signal means to "warning position, airelay in said second portion of said circuit adapted only when energized by more than said current of lesser intensity to move said signal means out of f'warning" position, and means for, establishing a by-pass circuit in parallel with said second portion of said circuit conditioned upon the occurrence of an electrical break in said second portion of said circuit when said testing current is passed through it.

ALFRED V. MCFERRON. 

